Rope measuring device



July 11, 1939. G. A. WITT 2,165,776

ROPE MEAS UR ING DEVI CE Filed A ril 27, 1936 2 SheetsSheet 1 July 11, 1939. a WIT-r ROPE MEASURING DEVICE Filed April 2'7, 1936 2, Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 11, 1939 @FHQE.

ROPE. MEASURING DEVICE George A. Witt, Saginaw, Mich, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Metal Display Equipment Company, Muskegon, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application April 2'7, 1936, Serial No. 76,713

1 Claim.

This invention relates to rope measuring devices, and more specifically to a device for displaying and measuring ropes of various sizes in an attractive manner, and so that the desired size can be easily and quickly measured and cut to the length required.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a device for displaying the end sect'ions of large coils of ropes, and provide means for accurately measuring the rope selected, and further provide means for holding and suspending the end sections of the various coils or bails so that they are attractively displayed.

A further object is to provide a very simple, practical, convenient, and compact rope measuring device which occupies a minimum of floor space, and by means of which the rope selected may be accurately measured and cut when the desired yardage has been measured.

A still further object is to design a rope display and measuring device which permits the storage of the rope bundles or coils in the basement, thus eliminating the necessity of storing large bundles or coils of rope on the display floor, conserving floor space and more attractively displaying the various sizes, as well as hanging and anchoring the various sizes of rope which are not being measured.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an isometric view of my improved rope measuring and display device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the clip locking device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front eleva- ,tional view illustrating the manner of mounting the clips.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of the measuring mechanism, the graduated dial being broken away to show the mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4, the rope guide and rope being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view illustrating the method of securing the end of the rope.

Fig. 7 is a sectional end View thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which I have shown one embodiment of my invention, the device comprises a fabricated frame preferably formed of sheet metal and including spaced apart legs 8 suitably braced and 5 secured together by the horizontally disposed members 9 as usual. A panel Hi spans the frame at a point above the lower ends of the legs, and a plurality of spring retracted hinged clip members H are mounted therein in spaced apart relation, 10 each clip being U-s'haped in cross section, and a rod 32 projects through the tapered side flanges it which form a part of each clip, the ends of the rod being mounted in brackets it provided on the face of the panel. An opening 85 is provided in the panel it in alignment with each clip and accommodates the rope it which leads therethrough, the rope being stored in the basement of the store and leading through suitable openings I! in the display floor.

One end of a coil spring '53 is anchored to the panel it directly in front of each clip, the opposite end being anchored to the center portion of the panel at 9, said spring being disposed under the rod i2 and exerting a downward pressure on the clip at all times, the free end of the clip extending upwardly at an angle and is adapted to wedge the rope between the end of the clip and the vertical Wall which forms a part of the panel H].

The measuring mechanism M is mounted on the upper end of the frame as shown, and comprises a preferably cast bracket member 22 secured in position on the frame by means of bolts 43. The measuring mechanism is mounted on this bracket and includes a friction wheel 24 which is mounted on a shaft Eli, said shaft being journaled in the bracket 22 as usual.

The upperend of the bracket 22 extends above the friction wheel 25, and a shaft 26 is mounted thereon, a grooved sheave 27 being journaled on said shaft and over which the rope to be measured is trained.

A tensioning sheave 23 is journaled on a bracket arm 29 directly adjacent the friction wheel 24, said bracket arm being pivotally connected to the bracket frame 22 by means of the pin 3t, and a spring 3! is connected to said arm and to the bracket frame and tends to pull said sheave towards the friction wheel and force the rope IS firmly against the face of the said wheel, the rope leading through the rope guide 32 which is mounted on the frame, thence the rope leading between the tensiom'ng sheave 28 and the friction wheel 2t, thence leading upwardly and over the sheave 21, thence leading down and over the cutter 33 which is mounted on the end wall of the frame.

A handle 34 is pivotally mounted on the frame at the point 35, and a reversible blade 36 is mounted on said handle, said blade cooperating with the cutter tosever the rope when the handle is actuated, and I wish to direct particular attention to the fact that the rope leads substantially straight from the rope guide 32 to the upper pulley, thereby insuring accurate measurement of the ropes traveling in contact with the face of the friction wheel.

Teeth 31 are provided on one end of the shaft 25, and a gear 38 is journaled on the bracket 22, meshing with and being driven from said toothed shaft, a smaller gear 39 being formed integral with the gear 38, said gear meshing with and driving a larger gear 40 which is revolubly mounted on the shaft 25, as are also the friction bushing 4| and the indicator arm 42, a spring 43 being interposed between the indicator arm and the washer 44 which is loosely secured on the end of the shaft, so that the arm 42 is pressed against the bushing 4| and rotates therewith to register the length of rope as it travels in contact with the friction Wheel.

Bosses 45 project from the face of the bracket frame, and screws 46 are utilized to secure the dial 4! in position, said dial being suitably graduated to indicate the scale in feet and inches.

Various kinds and sizes of rope can be displayed and measured with this device, the upper end section of each rope being frietionally held by means of the clips 48 which are formed on the plate 49, and when the customer selects the particular size rope he wishes to purchase, the clerk grasps the end of the rope in question, removes it from the clip 48, places it in the rope guide, swinging the tensioning sheave outwardly so that the rope is interposed and held between the tension sheave and the friction wheel, with the end trained over the sheave 21, and as the clerk pulls on the end of the rope, the frictional contact with the Wheel 24 causes it to rotate, the indicator 42 registering the correct length as the rope travels.

When the dial reading shows that the correct length has passed over the friction wheel, the handle 34 is swung downwardly so that the blade 36 will sever the rope, which is then weighed so that the proper charge per pound can be made, thus completing the transaction.

The device is simple and accurate, it permits a full, neat, and attractive rope display with a minimum of floor space, and it will be readily seen that the proper length can be easily and quickly measured in the presence of the customer. The ends of the ropes are within easy reach of the clerk, and there is no stooping or searching for measuring devices, cutting tools, etc. The clips I l permit the upward travel of the rope, but wedge and prevent it from dropping down into the basement when released; consequently, there is little drag on the securing clip 48 in which the end sections of the rope are held when not being dispensed.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and convenient rope display and measuring device for hardware stores and similar establishments.

What I claim is:

A rope dispensing device including a frame, a shaft journaled thereon, a friction wheel solid on the shaft and adapted to be driven by contact with the rope to be measured, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame and a sheave journaled on the end thereof, a spring attached to said frame and to the arm for forcing said sheave towards the friction wheel and the rope into frictional engagement therewith, a toothed section on the shaft, a gear revolvably mounted on said shaft adjacent the toothed section, additional gears mounted on said frame and meshing with the toothed shaft and the first mentioned gear for driving said gear on said shaft from the friction wheel, a graduated dial on the frame, and a spring pressed indicator arm journaled on the shaft and adapted tobe driven by said first mentioned gear for registering the length of rope as it travels in contact with the friction wheels.

GEORGE A. WITT. 

